Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,700 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,565 per month in Uluwatu, Bali vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Uluwatu, Bali costs about 96% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Uluwatu, Bali sits 27% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 Rp 74.7K

$1.94 ฿63.5

113.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.93 Rp 702.1K

$18.64 ฿609

108.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 Rp 107.9K

$7.82 ฿255

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$3.39 Rp 61.2K

$1.95 ฿63.8

73.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 Rp 29.0K

$0.85 ฿27.77

89.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

$0.35 ฿11.58

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 Rp 63.7K

$2.13 ฿69.6

65.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 Rp 82.7K

$3.73 ฿122

23.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 Rp 33.0K

$1.71 ฿56.0

7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 Rp 48.0K

$1.63 ฿53.2

63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

$1.14 ฿37.15

6.14%

Eggs

$2.53 Rp 45.6K

$1.93 ฿63.1

31.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 Rp 278.8K

$16.21 ฿530

-4.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 Rp 82.2K

$3.12 ฿102

46.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 Rp 225.6K

$10.90 ฿356

14.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 Rp 70.3K

$2.75 ฿90.0

41.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.3K

$1.21 ฿39.52

34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 52.5K

$1.62 ฿53.0

79.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.8K

$1.59 ฿51.8

49.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 37.2K

$1.40 ฿45.70

47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.8K

$1.17 ฿38.17

102.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 Rp 19.5K

$0.66 ฿21.60

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.4K

$0.53 ฿17.22

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.1K

$4.69 ฿153

-30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.10 Rp 452.7K

$18.66 ฿609

34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 54.1K

$1.80 ฿58.8

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$3.23 ฿106

-10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 Rp 6,117

$0.90 ฿29.26

-62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.40 Rp 187.6K

$19.21 ฿628

-45.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 Rp 10.9K

$1.41 ฿45.91

-57.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 Rp 9,678

$1.29 ฿42.12

-58.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 Rp 136.3K

$7.84 ฿256

-3.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 18.6K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-18.90%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.2K Rp 580.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

51.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.4K Rp 710.6M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

77.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$87.6 Rp 1.6M

$69.1 ฿2,256

26.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.34 Rp 78.3K

$14.08 ฿460

-69.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.50 Rp 477.8K

$18.00 ฿588

47.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 Rp 2.0M

$41.06 ฿1,341

172.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.62 Rp 137.4K

$6.96 ฿227

9.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 Rp 86.0K

$5.92 ฿193

-19.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$347 Rp 6.3M

$299 ฿9,766

15.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,491 Rp 135.1M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-49.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 Rp 1.1M

$54.7 ฿1,787

10.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 Rp 768.9K

$26.77 ฿874

59.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 Rp 1.8M

$85.0 ฿2,776

14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 Rp 1.5M

$70.6 ฿2,306

20.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 Rp 24.1M

$428 ฿14.0K

211.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 Rp 16.6M

$237 ฿7,752

288.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,567 Rp 82.4M

$801 ฿26.2K

469.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,786 Rp 50.2M

$515 ฿16.8K

440.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,712 Rp 66.9M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

87.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,139 Rp 56.6M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

112.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,335 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Uluwatu, Bali vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Uluwatu, Bali costs about 96% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,550 per month in Uluwatu, Bali and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $347 per month in Uluwatu, Bali and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Uluwatu, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Uluwatu, Bali at $1,700. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uluwatu, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,700 in Uluwatu, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uluwatu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.